Synopsis
Professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s life takes a complicated turn when he meets Chloe Clifford, a free-spirited harp prodigy, during a chance encounter at a country club after his car breaks down. Sparks fly instantly, but their budding romance is cut short when they discover their parents are engaged to be married, making them soon-to-be stepsiblings. Determined to keep things platonic, Sig supports Chloe’s quest for independence by helping her escape her controlling mother and move to Boston. However, their undeniable chemistry and the pressures of their new family dynamic make it increasingly difficult to ignore their feelings. As family drama unfolds and Sig’s hockey career hangs in the balance, they must navigate their forbidden attraction and decide if love is worth the risk.

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Book Review
Sometimes, you pick up a book knowing full well that reality is about to take a backseat, and that is exactly what you get. Dream Girl Drama is Tessa Bailey at her best—delivering a fast-paced, forbidden romance between a broody professional hockey player and his soon-to-be stepsister. If that sentence alone made you raise an eyebrow, welcome to the fun and maybe consider reading this one away from the family.

The Romance
Let’s be clear: the forbidden romance trope is a tricky one, but Bailey leans into it with full force. Sig and Chloe’s connection is immediate and electric—instalove on steroids. One moonlit kiss in a country club parking lot, and these two are all in, even if family drama threatens to keep them apart. Watching them navigate their “we can only be friends” dynamic is like watching a slow-burn romance unfold while the room is on fire. Spoiler: it’s hot.

The Plot & Pacing
Does the premise require a suspension of disbelief? Sure. But this is Tessa Bailey, and she knows how to sell the fantasy. The tension stems from a taboo setup—Sig’s dad is marrying Chloe’s mom—but it’s less about family politics and more about will they or won’t they give in to their undeniable attraction. Sig, ever the golden retriever in hockey pads, offers Chloe an escape from her controlling mother by bringing her to Boston. And while they’re just friends, the simmering chemistry between them builds until it can’t be ignored.

TLDR
Is this a deep, philosophical exploration of love and family dynamics? No. But does it deliver a steamy, fun, romance with just a bit of questioning of morals? Absolutely. If you’re into instalove, forbidden romance, and hockey players who fall first and fall hard, Dream Girl Drama is for you!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I was a little nervous to read this one because I love Tessa Bailey’s books and worried she couldn’t top The Au Pair Affair, but this series just keeps getting better. The groundwork also seems to be laid for another two Bearcats players to potentially have their own books too, which could be hilarious given the two characters.

I’m writing all of this within minutes of finishing the masterpiece that is Dream Girl Drama. I was consumed by this book, I needed all of the tension, the pining, the will-they-or-won’t-they between Sig and Chloe.

But I’ll be so honest - it made me HEARTSICK. I wanted it all to be resolved, for some magical moment to happen and make everything work out but of course that it absolutely not what it happens. The journey is full of fraught moments where I thought I was going to lose my mind from holding in my breath, to having my heart beat out of my chest. You haven’t meant a couple that are more MADE for each other than Sig and Chloe. And that’s what made me keep reading, to continue pushing because I needed this for them. I needed the ✨moment✨ to happen and, damn did we have to work for it.

I was exhausted near the end. I wasn’t sure how, how Sig and Chloe would find their happiness and be able to be a unit together. But when I tell you it’s so fucking worth it - I mean it with every fiber of my being. Your heart will be pounding, your face will be flushed, your head will be reeling but every moment, every tear, every gasp will be worth it in the moment when Sig and Chloe are able to be themselves with each other and just BE.

EPIC Tessa Bailey dual POV, slow burn, friends to lovers, forbidden romance that has been building ever since the first Big Shots book. I shipped Chloe and Sig sooo hard and loved every second of their love story!!! It was great seeing Chloe grow up and become her own independent woman and Sig was the ultimate loyal boyfriend willing to do anything for her. Steamy AF, full of heart and featuring cameos from the other Bearcat players. I am sad to see this series end but look forward to a new baseball series next???? (Here's hoping for Elton and Skylar's stories!). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I was lucky enough to receive this ARC through Harper Collins on NetGalley!! I’ve never read a Tessa Bailey book before but after going to a Lyla Sage Event and hearing her boast about it I was interested. This book was a super fast read for me, finished in basically 3 sittings. The romance is cheesy and predictable but the drama and spice makes up for it! I will admit I was apprehensive about the step siblings idea in this book but once you get to the end it makes more sense obviously. I would recommend if you’re looking for an easy read that includes some character growth! I see a lot of myself in Chloe when it comes to her relationship to her mother and loved the banter between her and Sig!

This may be Tessa Bailey's most unserious book yet and I had an absolute blast with it. Sig and Chloe's dynamic in The Au Pair Affair was my favorite part of that book and Dream Girl Drama delivered all that I was hoping for. I am a SUCKER for mutual pining and there was so much of that in this. I really liked Sig and while he still had the alpha-male toxic masculinity that you expect from a Tessa Bailey MMC, it was clear how much he wanted to show Chloe she could do things for herself and he wanted to support her in that versus just doing them for her.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for an arc of this book!

DNF at 52%. I just don’t like this series. I didn’t like the first two books in the series, but have really enjoyed Tessa Bailey’s other series before so I kept hoping the next book would get better. But it didn’t. I couldn’t connect with this lot and didn’t love that she was so aggressively helpless while he took care of everything. Eventually I had to give up on this series and admit it just isn’t for me.

[Note: I do not publish reviews of books I do not finish onto social media, Goodreads, or other online platforms other than marking them as DNF on Goodreads and Storygraph]

😭 I loved Fan Girl Down and mostly enjoyed the Au Pair Affair. This book was just not for me. I love the aspect of strangers falling in love, but the sudden step siblings made it too strange for me. This book did not have the dual POV chapters that I typically enjoy so it didn’t seem to fit with the series. I am a big believer in giving everything a second chance and will re-read at a different time. While this was not amazing winner for me, everyone has different taste :)

Tessa Bailey never fails me and Dream Girl Drama is no exception. Sig and Chloe had me hooked from the get go. An unlikely pair with instant chemistry, they both recognized their soulmate immediately.

"But "good" wasn't enough to describe the moment he met Chloe. No word existed for that. There was simply an understanding that his life would never be the same-and the life he'd led up to knowing up to knowing Chloe became a collection of indistinct sounds and shapes, while the present became incredibly clear, like a window being defogged."

Sig could not believe his luck, that is, until he walked in to his father's fiancé's house to meet her and her daughter....Chloe.
For most people, being future step-siblings may not interfere with their relationship. Unfortunately, Sig was a professional hockey player and Chloe was a musical protege vying for a place with the Boston Symphony. He was a public figure. She could be. Things could get messy and threaten their jobs and reputations. Everything they have worked for their entire lives were at stake. Oh, did I also forget to mention, no one approved?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dream Girl Drama. The relationship between Chloe and Sig is multi-faceted. We see the impulsive sexy side, the sweet caring side, and the best friend aspect of their relationship. I love that they are both willing to sacrifice everything for the other. This is not a one sided relationship even though it may seem like it at first simply because Sig has more to offer tangibly. Chloe, however, soothes his soul and that is worth more than money or fame. There were a few slow chapters in the middle but they definitely helped build the angst in the relationship which is palpable.
Will Sig and Chloe ever be together like they want or will they be best friends forever? Can they ever overcome the stigma of being step-siblings? Can Sig keep their parents from getting married? Or will Sig and Chloe have to give one another up for good?

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I am just going to say that Tessa Bailey is one of the queens of easy-read spicy rom-coms. I read this book when I needed a little break from reality and it delivered! I have also read the others books in this series and this one complimented them nicely. You could read in order or as a standalone. The only negative thing I have to say is I couldn’t really understand what the big faux pas was about the relationship. They would be step siblings not real siblings (ew) haha.

Told from narrator not a pov. Forbidden romance. Sports romance.

This was an easy book to read and understand what is happening which could be both a good and a bad thing.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this book!

The story was cute but could have been better. It was a nice slow burn where the characters actually got to know each other but fell flat because there weren’t many side characters. They were sprinkled throughout the book but nothing meaningful came of it. The story is essentially only about the 2 main characters. Spoilers below:






•••



This entire book, Sig and Chloe have no friends. They do not talk about their “relationship” with anyone really. It would have been really nice to see Chloe fully confide in someone. She wants to become independent but yet becomes dependent on Sig. She’s not the strong FMC that I love to see.

Sig talks to no one. We don’t see many interactions of him with friends or team mates. He’s also extremely possessive which in some books works, but in this one it really gave me the ick. They couldn’t have a relationship but he would make her delete peoples numbers out of her phone. I would have liked to see more internalized jealousy.

oh gosh am i a tessa bailey girlie!!!!

i've been reading all her books since ihos first came out and NO ONE can make me lose my mind like she can.

i was so intrigued with this book bc this was tessa's first foray into forbidden/taboo romance (that i've read) and i just know it was gonna hit in classic tessa bailey fashion. it was horny AND sweet (yuh!)

this is a future step-siblings forbidden romance and it was so fire!!!! it was slow burn and hot and so romantic and kinda insta love-y, but like, come on it's tessa bailey and her insta love-y books are my favorites (hello!!! i am an ihos stan). our fmc chloe actually reminded me a lot of piper from ihos and i think that just made me love chloe even more bc there's nothing better than an underestimated fmc that proves everyone wrong!!

and sig gauthier??? tessa bailey again gave us the most obsessed down bad for his girl mmc and i loved every pathetic (complimentary) minute if it.

sig and chloe are actual soulmates and i loved seeing how their relationship progressed and the little and big ways they showed their love to each other! the ultimate acts of service/words of affirmation couple. i loved the build up and the mutual yearning sm and the epilogue???? no one writes and epilogue like tessa bailey!!!

i'm her fangirl for life and i can't wait for the next book in this series!

thank you avon and netgalley for this arc! it comes out feb 4!

Dream Girl Drama
By Tessa Bailey
3⭐️

Tessa Bailey has become a hit or miss for me, I was really excited for Chloe & Sig because I am all for the overprotective hero and the sort of forbidden relationship but this just was not it. This is yet another book where a characters nickname feels really forced and cringe, dream girl as a nickname just doesn’t feel natural to me. Also i don’t remember Chloe being so infantilized when she was first introduced as a character. I get it’s supposed to be cute and charming but being so ridiculously childish here did not read the way I think it was meant to. Other than the insta love and issues mentioned above, this was a quick and easy read.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for this gifted arc!

Hockey player Sig and Dream Girl Chloe fall for each other (after meeting once) only to discover their parents are engaged. Family drama tests their resolve to keep things platonic (it never works). The chemistry between Sig and Chloe is undeniable, with sparks flying from their first meeting. However, the speed at which their relationship develops makes it hard to believe they’re truly in love. Chloe’s journey, leaving her controlling mother only to end up with someone equally overbearing, was disappointing. While the story had its entertaining moments, the pacing was uneven, making it difficult to stay fully immersed. I found myself more entertained by side characters such as the other hockey players, the parents, and Grace. A fun read overall, but it left me wanting more depth from our main characters.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶🌶

It started off so good with instant attraction and chemistry, but then lost momentum with the realization that their parents are getting married. Then there were almost 140 pages of "we can't " and "I want you" that just got annoying and repetative. Chloe is one of the most obnoxious characters I've ever met- basically a child that has always gotten what she wants- is have no idea what Sig sees in her. Sig is the perfect golden retriever bf, so I just wanted to shake him to get him to move on.

The spice was delicious as Tessa Bailey always serves on that front, but the story line didn't do it for me.

Thank you to @Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review.

I've honestly struggled a bit with this series but what a strong serve this book was. Don't get me wrong - books 1 and 2 are decent, but I didn't really get the feels from either. DGD on the other hand? Feelings. Everywhere.
This is Sig and Chloe's story - we've met them in Au Pair Affair and I would say that buildup helped with this story.
It's a testament to how wonderful I found Sig's behaviour towards Chloe, their romance, and Tessa's writing in this book, that I had the feels by the end.

Chloe. Chloe, Chloe, Chloe. She alone made me knock one whole star off. That sort of reckless way of living, freeloading while others suffer (especially as a rich girl who's slumming it to teach her mother a lesson) is just not my cup of tea. A general plea to romance authors - could we start seeing women who have a smidge of sense, empathy and depth of character? I've forgotten what those look like in the genre.

All in all, a really engrossing book, with Tessa's signature heat, a heroine I had to tolerate, and a lot of heart. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tessa Bailey to letting read this ARC. Tessa Bailey is one my favorites. Sig is part the hockey team. Chole and sig find out that there parents are dating and they fell in love. So they both think they could be step-sibling. I think it's kinda odd. Later on Sig finds out his isn't his birth father. He runs to tell Chole and that he wants to finally want to be with her. This also can read standalone book.

2.5 Rounded up.

Listen, I like TB, I do! I love her Bellinger sisters series to death, but her more recent works seem to fall short of the mark for me. I wasn't a fan of The Au Pair Affair, though I loved Mailer and Corrigan, and I loved them in this one too. Pierre and Grace were great, and I loved that Sig got a father figure in the end. What I didn't love? I wasn't too much of a fan of Sig's behavior. I can get behind an insta-lust trope. Insta-lust is a thing! I hate when people say it's nonsense that they were lusting after each other that quick, but they act like people don't have one night stands after making eyes across the bar. I do, however, agree that there was no real merit upon which Sig could've loved her at all. She didn't have much going for her, and while she began to stick up for herself a big towards the end, she didn't do enough. There was a lot of red flag behavior coming from Sig that she should've put an end to a lot quicker than she attempted to. He should've just been avoided as a whole, to be honest because it got kind of scary when he would tell her to delete men's numbers from her phone and to promise to never be alone with another man again because she wasn't allowed to be with anyone but him. That's some real controlling stuff. You can't sit there and think you're made to be with someone, two days after knowing them. I think they could've actually been good for each other had they both developed a sense of character and Sig wasn't so alpha male coded. It had a promising premise, and I do love the taboo toeing the grey line of the step siblings plot, although, why would the public care about two people who met as adults becoming step siblings at some point? No one. Weirdos, that's who. Anywho, that's my two cents on this book. The stars are really there for the sort of sweet ending, Grace, Pierre, Corrigan, and Mailer. I want the old TB back.

Rating: 5/5 stars
Spice: 2.5/5

HOLY SHIT, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! I stayed up to finish this book; I couldn't put it down. I was obsessed with Sig and Chloe in "The Au Pair Affair," but I am completely in love with them now.

Their story starts hot and heavy with the sexual tension and chemistry between Sig and Chloe. I'm so happy that we got to see the beginning of their relationship, it made the slow burn so worth it. The emotions I felt reading this were insane; I was bawling by the last 30 minutes. Tessa can make me feel all the feels while reading her books; I love and hate that. The writing was impeccably well done. I don't usually like step-sibling relationships, but I loved it. It was written so well and thought out.

Now, for the characters, I ate them up. Sig a man I want, possessive, caring, will die for your type of man. The way he cared for Chloe no matter what made my heart so full. As for Chloe, her character growth was amazing. She truly became an independent woman who went after her dreams. She and Sig could not be more different, yet so perfect together.

I cannot wait to see more from what the Bearcats world has to offer, especially from the "orgasm donors" boys.

This book was cute and I was excited to have access to the ARC.

I struggled with the main conflict for this story- it seemed like this should have been a nonissue, especially with the solution at the end.

This book had plenty of tension, and the steamy chemistry was excellent. I loved their relationship and Chloe’s growth and determination. It was a cute, quick read!